Hawthorn berries have long been valued for their original taste and are well known for their healing properties. And the nectar from the flowers of this plant absorbed all its best qualities and, processed by bees, it is even more useful than the berries themselves.

Characteristics and description of hawthorn honey

This type of honey is quite rare, since hawthorn flowers produce little nectar. It is believed that hawthorn honey should be dark, but this is not necessary. The flowers of this plant differ in color, so the color of nectar also varies. It can be either dark yellow or brown red. By consistency, it is very thick and viscous. But its main distinguishing feature is the taste with bitterness and a pungent smell. It crystallizes a month after pumping.

Did you know? The ancient Greeks considered the hawthorn a magic plant and hung its thorny branches on the front door. They believed that this scared away evil spirits and disease.

Chemical composition and calorie content

In its composition, this product is a storehouse of vitamins and organic acids. The composition of this honey of honey includes water, sucrose, glucose, fructose, proteins and amino acids, enzymes, pollen, vitamins and minerals, beneficial microflora. Of the vitamins, the product is rich in representatives of group B (B1, B2, B6, folic acid), as well as C, H, PP. Of the minerals most potassium, calcium and phosphorus. Hawthorn honey, like any other, is very high-calorie - in 1 tbsp. l contains 110 kcal.

Properties of honey for the human body

Since ancient times, honey has been used by humans not only as a tasty food product, but also as a natural medicine. However, you need to consider not only its benefits, but also the possible harm.

Beneficial features

• There are several areas in which the use of this delicious bee product will benefit the body:
• lowers cholesterol;
• improves the work of the heart - the minerals that make up its composition tone the heart muscle;
• strengthens arteries and capillaries;
• promotes the expansion of blood vessels of internal organs, thereby "dispersing" the blood and improving metabolism;
• normalizes blood circulation;
• normalizes the functioning of the walls of the stomach and the gastrointestinal tract;
• It has a general strengthening effect on the immune system and accelerates recovery from acute respiratory viral infections;
• relieves cramping, helps with dizziness, as well as with severe periodic pain in women.

• The list of diseases in which honey from hawthorn is recommended is considerable:
• vegetovascular dystonia;
• arrhythmia (including atrial fibrillation);
• atherosclerosis;
• heart failure;
• increased thyroid function;
• hypertension in the initial stage;
• menopausal syndrome.

Contraindications and possible harm

There are a number of contraindications for the use of this product. There are few of them, but you need to know about them. These include:

• acute asthma;
• allergy;
• insulin-dependent diabetes.

Important! Reception of honey together with royal jelly gives a much greater effect. However, it must be remembered that such a vitamin “bomb” can cause hypervitaminosis with excessive use.

How to distinguish a fake when buying

Very often unscrupulous sellers in the cheaper varieties of nectar add essence with the smell of hawthorn, so when choosing honey, you should not focus on the smell:

1. First of all, the natural product will be dense - when transfused from one container to another, it develops like a pyramid and remains so for some time. If it is poured from a spoon, then the trickle will be thin and viscous, and for a fake - just drop it in drops.
2. You can determine the natural product and weight. The weight of a liter capacity will be about 1.5 kg.
3. If a drop of real honey is rubbed between the fingers, then it will be absorbed into the skin, and the fake will roll.
4. There should not be white foam on top, as this is a sign of a fermented product.
5. If you drop a piece of bread in honey and leave it there, then it will harden in a natural product, and will become sour in a fake.
6. If you dilute a teaspoon of real nectar in a glass of hot water, then it will dissolve, and the water will be transparent.

How to use and use

Hawthorn nectar will be invaluable to your body, but only if you use it correctly and take contraindications into account.

For internal use

In order for honey to benefit, it must be consumed every day, but in a limited way. The norm for an adult per day should not exceed 100 g, for a child - no more than 40 g. It is best to take it in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before bedtime, 1 tbsp. It is more effectively absorbed if diluted in warm water or just washed down with water. But with hot drinks it should not be combined. So that nectar does not lose useful qualities, the temperature of the liquid should not exceed + 37 ° C.

Important! Hawthorn honey is recommended tI eat people who have a sick heart or after a heart attack to maintain heart muscle.

Outdoor use

One of the most common methods for topical application of a sweet “medicine” is honey massage. It improves blood circulation, strengthens the immune system, removes toxins from the body. Massage is also done for diseases of the upper respiratory tract. In addition, honey is added to compresses, applied to wounds, masks, scrubs, creams, shampoos are made on its basis.

Cooking use

In cooking, there are many recipes using a bee product. It can be found in baked goods, sweets, marinades for meat, sauces, preserves, home tinctures, kvass, mousses. They pour pancakes and pancakes, add them to sweet cereals.

Did you know? The world leader in honey production is China. About 300 thousand tons of sweet product is produced annually in this country.

For diseases

The method of application of this natural medicine may be different, depending on the disease. So, with angina and tonsillitis, it is useful to gargle with diluted honey in water in a ratio of 1: 3. For hypertension, you need to take honey with lemon - add 1 lemon juice per 100 g. To strengthen the heart muscle, add 1 tbsp. of this product. If you mix 1 tbsp. honey nectar with grated orange and lemon, you get a potion to strengthen blood vessels.

Storage conditions

Honey can be stored for many years, but only if it is properly stored. The temperature range for storage is quite wide - -6 ... + 20 ° С. With prolonged exposure of the product above the upper mark, part of the vitamins is destroyed. Another condition is that the temperature must be constant. It is better to use glass or ceramic dishes for storage, but not metal. Be sure to check that the container is dry and clean.

For honey nectar, low humidity is important. You should not keep it near water - it absorbs it and becomes liquid. The storage area should be cool, dry and dark, there should be no products or objects with a pungent smell, since honey has the ability to absorb them. Hawthorn honey is a rare type of sweet nectar. Nevertheless, the benefits of it are considerable. If you have the opportunity to purchase this useful product, then do not hesitate.